What We Fight For
by Jade Took of the Shire
Summary: While climbing up the slopes of Mount Doom, Sam gives Frodo a powerful reason why they must continue the last steps into completing their quest. Not Slash!


Title ~ What We Fight For  
  
Author ~ Jade Took  
  
Rating ~ G  
  
Disclaimer ~ I am only a poor LOTR fan from UK, I do not own LOTR.  
  
Summary ~ While climbing up the slopes of Mount Doom, Sam gives Frodo a powerful reason why they must continue the last steps into completing their quest. Not Slash!  
  
Dedication ~ To two friends of mine; Ty and Cat.  
~ What We Fight For ~  
**********************  
  
Oh, you can't tell me it's not worth tryin' for   
Yeah, I would fight for you   
I'd lie for you   
Walk the wire for you   
Yeah, I'd die for you   
You know it's true   
Everything I do, I do it for you  
  
~~~~ Bryan Adams ~~ Everything I Do  
  
********************  
"Mister Frodo!"  
  
Sam hurriedly went to Frodo's side, kneeling next to the exhausted hobbit and laying comforting hands upon his companion's shoulders.   
  
The air was thick will all consuming fumes that made it difficult the breathe, but on a path such as their's they had little choice but to endure it. Frodo and Sam were now on the last trek of their journey, climbing up the very slopes of Mount Doom itself. Above them the mountain rumbled and shook angrily as if a warning to the small intruders upon its side. Sam looked upwards towards the roaring flames and pillowing smoke at the peak of the volcano and narrowed his eyes slightly.  
  
'You're foul mood will not stop Mister Frodo and I from finishing what we started,' He thought darkly, wishing he could will the mountain to hear his thoughts. Instead he turned his attention back to Frodo, and with one hand he gently rubbed the older hobbit's back.  
  
"Come mister Frodo." He spoke in an encouraging voice tinted with pleading. "We are but a few steps away from completing the quest! It is not far now. Come! I will aid you."  
  
"Sam..." Frodo's voice was quiet and Sam could pick up the despair that was intertwined within it. "I cannot do this anymore Sam."  
  
"No! No, do not say such things mister Frodo!" Sam pleaded, imploring Frodo not to further stray into the shadows that were building upon them. "You will make it mister Frodo! We will together! Can you not see? We are so close! Please, do not lose hope, not now."  
  
"It is too much for me Sam, it always has been from the beginning." Frodo replied in a heartaching tone. The older hobbit lifted his head up, curls of his brown hair falling in his eyes. "Mayhaps Sam, you can finish what I cannot." He lifted up the chain around his neck and slowly the One Ring was revealed. Mount Doom seemed to cry in fury and shook even more greatly than before as this happened. "Take it Sam, hurry! Take it before it takes me completely. Take it and destroy it."  
  
"Aii mister Frodo! I cannot!" Sam cried in anguish.  
  
"You must Sam! You were right all along and I could not...did not see. I have been blinded by the ring's dominance to control me, haunted by it's chilling call. You are the only one left now."  
  
"I cannot do what you ask of me!"  
  
"Why Sam? Is it so hard? Just take the ring and complete the climb and then all you have to do is to throw this acursed thing into the firey depths of Mount Doom. Then it will be finished and Middle Earth will be saved. Why can you not do that Sam? Will you not do it even for me?"  
  
Sam's chest was heaving labouredly. He could feel his chest constricting and he found it almost impossible to breathe. It tore is heart seeing his beloved master reduced to this, for he knew Frodo was so much stronger. And he just would not do as Frodo asked. It wasn't that he couldn't do it, for he could easily accomplish it, but that would mean leaving Frodo behind...and that was an impossibility to Sam.  
  
"I will not leave you mister Frodo! I cannot and I will not! I will not leave you behind to perish, no matter how many times you ask me! I cannot do it! I just...cannot..."  
  
Sam's head fell forwards so his chin touched his chest as bitter, salter tears stained with blood, sweat and choking dust trickled down the side of his ashen face. His shoulders hitched as uncontrollable sobs wracked his body.   
  
Pure and utter despair was now seeping into Sam's soul. He couldn't remember a time when he had felt such wretchedness, if he ever had. Unknown to the crying hobbit, Frodo had slid from his knees and now lay side-down upon the ash covered ground, his face drawn and pale and his breathes could barely be heard.  
  
"Oh mister Frodo...please...I..."  
  
Sam's voice broke off when he remembered something. His mind seemed to click and his eyes widened in precious rememberence. Not a second later, Sam reached down inside his shirt and pulled out a small rope chain. Sam took a shakey breath before pulling the thin rope loop over his head and pulled the remainder of it from out of his shirt.  
  
Revealed on the end was a stunning dark blue gem and even in the land of no light that was Mordor, it seemed to shine like a star bursting from behind a storm's black clouds. With a small smile, Sam clenched the pretty token in his left hand before looking down at Frodo and edging closer to him. The loyal hobbit bent right down so his eyes were inline with Frodo's own.  
  
"Frodo? Mister Frodo?"  
  
When Sam got no reply, he gently took one of Frodo's hands and placed the blue gem in that hand, curling it up around the object. Frodo remained unresponsive for only a few moments before his mind seemed to register that he was holding something and his head looked down into his hand.  
  
The light from the blue stone reflected in Frodo's and Sam smiled. The older hobbit regared the gem for a moment before his cracked, dry lips parted in a sign he was about to speak.  
  
"Sam...this...is it not..."  
  
"Aye mister Frodo, that it is."  
  
"But Sam...I gave this to you as a gift...a gift of our friendship many years ago when you were but a small hobbit of 6 years."  
  
"I know mister Frodo." Sam replied, a soft smile upon his lips. "I still remember that day you know, as clear as it happened yesterday. I remember when you took my small arm in your hand and led me down to a small river. Do you remember mister Frodo? Oh how beautiful and bright that day was. How I long to see more of them! You sat me down in your lap and you smiled down at me. Then you put that wonderous gift around my neck and you said 'Now Sam my lad, this is a very special gift I am giving you. It is a gift of our friendship and it will be a symbol of its immortality and it will be a light and a guide for you if you get lost. If you ever are scared, you just look at that jewel and know I will always be with you and our friendship will never end.' And oh, mister Frodo how I have cherished that gift! I have never once taken it off ever since you slipped it around my neck all those years ago. Not once!"  
  
Frodo stared up at Sam in surprise and slowly he sat up, now holding the jewel in his hand more tightly as a flood of memories came to his mind and he smiled briefly.  
  
"But Sam...I do not understand." Frodo said quietly. "Why do you give it me? It is your's."  
  
"I know mister Frodo, but do you not see?" Sam said, kneeling right in front of Frodo and taking his hands in his own. "This is what we're fighting for! We're not just fighting to destroy evil and darkness, or fighting to save Middle Earth and our family and friends back home. We're fighting for each other and this treasure is a mark of that struggle we have been enduring each and every single day of these past long and dark months. I came with you mister Frodo to see you to the end, to make sure I would never lose you. Oh I care so much for you mister Frodo You are the best friend any hobbit could wish for and do you know what it means to be called your friend? There's not a day that goes by when I don't think 'Why did mister Frodo choose me to be one of his friends? What does he see in me? Will he ever know how much I care about him?' And that is why you cannot give up now mister Frodo! If you did I would never be able to forgive myself...because I would have failed you."  
  
Frodo stared in a stunned silence as Sam ended his words and lowered his head in a seemingly ashamed gesture. Frodo's eyes then softened as tears welled in the older hobbit's eyes and slipped down his stark cheeks and slipping a hand under his hobbit companion's chin he lifted Sam's face up so their eyes met once more.  
  
"Oh Sam. Dear, dear Sam. Samwise; bravest of all hobbits, you haven't failed me! You never could have! Oh Sam, I do know how much you care and I hope you know how much I do too. I chose you as my friend because you are loyal, brave, determined and so dear of heart, mind and soul. There's not one who could ever compair to you dearest Sam." And with that Frodo embraced Sam tightly, letting a few choked sobs of emotion escape from his mouth. Finally after he pulled back, Frodo said, "Thank you for reminding me Sam."  
  
As Frodo extended his hand holding the blue gem, Sam shook his head and replied with a bright smile, "You keep it mister Frodo, if at least until we have completed our quest."  
  
Without waiting for a reply from Frodo, Sam took the neck charm and slipped it over Frodo's head and watched it lay contentedly around Frodo's neck.  
  
"Now mister Frodo, I do believe we have a quest to finish." Sam said with shinning eyes that radiated a new kind of hope. "If you are tired and cannot walk, I will happily carry you the rest of the way up the mountain."  
  
"But Sam..." Frodo didn't get a chance to finished. Sam now had a focused and determined mind and as he helped Frodo to his feet he gave him a hard, narrow eyed look that Frodo knew all too well. It was Sam's 'That was a demand, not a request.' look and the older hobbit knew better than to argue with him. In truth, Frodo was very grateful for Sam's proposal but could not help feel a small twinge of guilt.  
  
Once Frodo was settled upon Sam's back, the two hobbits continued their journey up the slopes of Mount Doom. Frodo's eyes then glanced down to the blue jewel now hanging from his neck.  
  
Friendship; their friendship.  
  
Frodo smiled warming.  
  
Yes, that was worth fighting for.  
The End 


End file.
